House GOP Plans Non-Comprehensive Immigration Reform

While it seems likely that the Senate will pass comprehensive immigration reform, passage in the House was always in question and it appears that House Republicans are now planning to pass piecemeal immigration reform rather than a comprehensive bill.

Goodlatte said rather than a huge immigration bill, the House would take a step-by-step approach. He said it was important to not rush the complicated overhaul of immigration laws, and he declined to commit to completing the process this year.

Goodlatte said he has been consulting with a bipartisan group of House members working on immigration legislation. He said he has also held private briefings for around 100 House Republicans.

My guess is that this will make it easier for House Republicans to water down each individual measure while reducing the amount of negative press they’ll receive should any one element fail to pass muster.

If the House passes immigration reform and if this is how they do it, the process could take a very long time. It may even bleed into the 2014 campaign season next summer. Obviously that would reduce the chances of anything passing.